Hat



Sept. 3, 1940. 5 ADAMSQN 2,213,661

HAT

Filed July 13, 1939 INVENTOR.

mruuf ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES ga ner PATE'l' rice HAT Application July 13, 1939, Serial No. 284,138

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in hats and caps of the type provided with sweat bands, whether they are formed of felt, straw or any other material.

Hats as commonly constructed are blocked accurately to a number of different sizes and in order to fit the heads of the various customers it is necessary for the hat stores to carry a large number of different size hats in stock. If, however, a person has a head of unusual shape it may be necessary for' him to have his hats blocked specially to secure a good fit.

Furthermore even when a hat fits properly it may not stay on the head in a wind unless it is pulled down on the head so far that it is uncomfortably tight, and many persons find that their hats have the objectionable tendency to ride up on the head.

The present invention contemplates a novel construction whereby a cushion-like action is provided between the sweat band and inner wall of the hat so that the sweat band is afforded a much better opportunity than heretofore to conform to theshape of the head and fit the same snugly but comfortably. Through the employment of the present invention an exceptionally comfortable hat is secured that is capable of conforming to the peculiarities in the shape of the head of the wearer, and is also adapted to accommodate itself to a limited degree to different head sizes, thereby making it unnecessary for the hat stores to carry as large a range of different size hats in stock as heretofore.

The invention is simple and inexpensive in construction and can be readily employed in practically any type of hat having a sweat band.

The invention resides largely in a specially constructed narrow elastic tape which is provided with rubber threads extending transversely of the tape to impart thereto the property of resisting to a substantial degree the bending of the tape across said rubber thread. The purpose in so constructing the tape is to cause it to hold the sweat band yieldingly in spaced relation to the inner wall of the hat when one longitudinal marginal edge of this tape is sewed to the hat and its other longitudinal marginal edge is sewed to an edge portion of the sweat band.

In carrying out the present invention the primary function of the rubber threads extending transversely of said tape is to impart to the tape a springy action which will resist bending of the same across said thread and cause the tape to spring back to its original position as soon as the bending pressure thereupon is released These rubberthreads may, however, if desired serve also to impart a transverse stretch to the tape so as to permit movement of the'sweat band relative to the hat within this range of stretch to thereby afford the. sweat band a better opportun- 5' ity to conform to the shape of the head as the hat is pulled down upon the head. 7 As a result of the construction of the present invention the lower marginal portion of the sweat band normally is held by the elastic tape 10 in spaced relation to the inner wall of the hat so as to cause the hat to fit the head-with a cushion action. Furthermore by retaining the sweat band in spaced relation to the walls of the hat the ventilating effect of the hat is increased as air may circulate between the walls of the hat and sweat band and pass through the tape which is pervious to air.

An extremely important feature of thepresent invention resides in the cushioning action just described whereby the sweat band may accommodate itself to the shape and size of the head much better than heretofore. This not only causes the hat to fit the head comfortably butalso eliminates to alarge degree the different 25.

head sizes, so that by employing the present construction it is not necessary to manufacture or sell as many different sizes of hats as heretofore. This constitutes a large saving in the cost of manufacturing'and selling hats.

. Other features of the invention and novel combination of parts in addition to the above will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates one good practical form thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a felt hat of the fedora type provided with the novel rconstruction of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through one 40 side of the hat of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 .is a plan view of a piece of elastic tape employed in carrying out the invention.

As above stated the present invention may be employed in practically any type of hat having a sweat-band but is designed more particularly for use in hats of the type having a crown and brim that encircle the head opening. The hat may be formed of felt, straw or any other material and may be constructed throughout as usual except for the operation of securing the sweat band in place.

The hat shown has a crown l and brim 2 and the sweat band 3 may be constructed as heretofore except for the means of securing it in the hat. As will be apparent from the drawing the sweat-band is not sewed to the hat at the juncture of the crown and brim as is usual, but the elastic tape 4 which is specially constructed to impart thereto the desired spring-like action is secured in the hat by sewing one of its marginal edges around the hat at this juncture point as indicated at 5 while its other marginal edge is sewed to the inner or concealed face of the lower edge portion of the sweat band '3 as indicated at 5.

It has been proposed heretofore to secure a longitudinally stretchable tape or band in a hat adjacent the sweat-band to force the sweat-band inwardly and thereby improve the fit of the hat,

but it is found in practice that the contractive force of the longitudinally stretched band tends to distort the shape of the hat. It has also been proposed heretofore to provide an inelastic tape or strip of fabric between the sweat band and hat to increase the ventilating effect of the hat at this point, but this has resulted in a construction in which an objectionable jittery or vibrating movement may occur when the tape is worn between the hat and its supporting sweat band.

Therefore the construction of the tape 4 is important in order to meet the requirements of the present invention and avoid the objectionable feature above referred to. This tape 4 is so constructed that it is non-stretchable longitudinally and may or may not be stretchable transversely, it being of primary importance to employ in the tape 4 the transversely extending rubber thread 1 or other rubber or rubber-like elements which will cause the tape to resist with a strong springy action the bending of this tape across said rubber threads.

The purpose of this springy action is to cause the tape when sewed into the hat in the manner above described to hold the sweat band spaced inwardly from the walls of the hat as shown in Fig. 2 with a cushion or spring-like action, so that when the hat is placed on the head the sweat band can yield outwardly towards the walls of the hat sufliciently to accommodate itself to the size and contour of the head before its outward movement is arrested by engaging the walls of the hat.

This springy or cushion action of the tape 4 should be such that'it will cause the sweat band to engage the head snugly but comfortably so that the hat may be pulled down firmly upon the head without causing the sweat band to exert an uncomfortable tight pressure around the head. The amount of clearance provided by the tape 4 between the inner walls of the crown I and sweat band 3 near the lower edge of the latter need not be more than approximately 1 5 of an inch because if the sweat band is free to move outwardly under pressure of an inch entirely around the head it will accommodate itself to substantial variations in the size and shape of the head of the wearer. This will make it unnecessary to provide many of the different head sizes which have been considered necessary heretofore by high grade hat manufacturers.

In order to secure fully the advantages of the yielding sweat band of the present invention it a substantial stretch in the transverse direction so that when the hat is pulled down hard upon the head a slight movement between the hat and its sweat band may take place due to the transverse stretching of the tape, to thereby allow the sweat band a better opportunity to conform to the head.

While the tape 4 may be variously constructed it is preferably woven of non-elastic warp threads and elastic weft threads. The elastic weft threads I are preferably woven tightly into the tape so as to impart thereto the desired transverse stiffness or springy action. The rubber threads I preferably consist of a rubber core having a textile cover wound thereupon to form elastic yarn having a long stretch, say 350 per cent to give the tape a long widthwise stretch.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by employing the present invention the sweat band is given a much better chance to conform accurately to the contour of the head of the wearer than heretofore, and that by providing the tape 4 which is pervious to air and is adapted normally to hold the sweat band spaced from the walls of the hat a much greater ventilating action is secured between the sweat band and walls of the hat than heretofore. Furthermore it will be apparent that the cost of the construction of the present in vention is slight since neither the tape 4 nor the sewing operation involved in securing it in the hat is expensive.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hat having a crown and brim that encircle the head opening, a sweat band, and elastic means for securing the sweat band to the hat with a springy action that holds the attached edge of the sweat band yieldingly in spaced relation to the inner walls of the crown, comprising a longitudinally non-stretchable elastic tape provided with rubber weft threads extending approximately radially of the hat and adapted to resist bending of the tape across said weft threads with a strong springy action.

2. In a hat having a crown and brim that encircle the head opening, a sweat band, and elastic means for securing the sweat band to the hat with a springy action that holds the attached edge of the sweat band yieldingly spaced from the inner walls of the crown, comprising an elastic tape provided with transversely extending rubber threads extending approximately radially of the hat and adapted to resist bending of the tape across said rubber threads with a strong springy action.

SETH ADAMSON. 

